Roller Skating Made Easy: Stay Protected While Cruising Down the Streets

It’s another beautiful day outside. There are no clouds in the sky, and the sun is shining brightly. And what better way to enjoy it than by cruising down the streets on your roller skates? Don’t be afraid to shine and feel the wind in your hair. Together with your besties or riding solo, you will make memories that will last for a long time.

But, although it’s exciting and fun, roller skating might be intimidating if you are new to it. Trying to balance on four wheels while skating as a beginner is tough. That is why it’s important to invest in quality protective gear skate shops sell until you are confident enough to go without it. Also, you can have fun and let your personality shine through your skater outfit.

So, grab your skates, and let’s start!

How Do You Stay Safe While Roller Skating?

Staying safe while you skate is important and proper protective gear can make the whole experience much safer and more enjoyable. The key zones that need to be protected are the head, knees, elbows, wrists, and mouth. The essential safety gear consists of.

Helmet

Out of the many pieces of protective gear skate fans should wear, the helmet is arguably the most important one. You want to have your head protected at all times, since you may fall multiple times while trying to master the balance on four wheels. Especially if cars are more frequent around your neighbourhood or wherever you’re skating. If anything happens and you don’t have a helmet on you, you might get a concussion, which is a brain injury caused by a blow to the head.

So, first and foremost, make sure you have a helmet that is designed for roller skating. This helmet should be able to withstand multiple falls and crashes. You don’t need a helmet that will break with one fall. Also, falling backwards won’t be a concern since this type of helmet is longer and covers the back of the head.

And whatever you do, make sure that your helmet is the right size for you. You must have your helmet securely fastened and properly positioned on your head.

Knee Pads, Elbow Pads, and Wrist Guards

Except for hurting your head, you are also at risk of breaking or scraping your knees, elbows and wrists. You may fall forwards on your knees or fall on your left or right side. By wearing the protective knee and elbow pads, you minimize the impact of the fall while also being comfortably protected from any scratches or cuts.

Everyone extends their hands as they are about to hit the hard surface, so every beginner should have a wrist guard. Wearing wrist guards prevents any serious complications by absorbing the majority of the impact when the fall happens and is excellent for preventing gravel burns. As the old proverb goes, “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Gloves

Although gloves might seem unnecessary, they are great for protecting your fingers. Also, once you master the art of balance, you can try wearing some styles instead of wrist guards.

Mouthguard

These mouth coverings protect your teeth and mouth if you fall or crash forward. Because of this, they are mostly worn by roller derby players. However, if you want to be extra cautious, you can include these in your equipment as well. Make sure you find lighter ones so that you can easily talk and drink.

Other Safety Considerations When Roller Skating

Once you’re well protected for roller skating, you still need to consider other things such as smooth surfaces, basic roller-skating skills, earbuds, skating at night, etc.

Practice Your Breaking

One of the first things you need to learn is how to stop. When you first start skating, you feel invincible and try to go faster. You feel the wind in your hair, and you get the adrenaline rush. However, there could be a cat crossing the street or a car backing out of a parking lot, and you must stop abruptly. To avoid any incidents in the future, practice breaking first.

Avoid Wearing Earbuds

As a beginner, you want to be extra careful and observant whenever you step out of your house and put on your skates. You have to be aware of everything around you, whether a car is approaching, red light, people crossing the street, etc. Since you need your full attention while skating, it’s best if you avoid listening to music and wearing earbuds. For example, a car may honk at you, but you won’t hear a thing from the loud music.

Stick to Smooth Roads

It takes time and practice to master any new skill. The same goes for roller skating. As a beginner, try skating on a smooth road. You don’t need to worry about hitting a larger crack or passing through the bumps on the road. If the road is uneven or there are some cracks, you will find it harder as a beginner to maintain balance while skating.

Avoid Skating at Night

Roller skating at night is extremely dangerous, even if you are not a beginner. Plus, it’s not visible. You will have a hard time seeing anything on the road, and imagine if the street light is not working. Approaching cars won’t see you either since there are no headlights in the rollerblades. Nothing good can come out of it.

Other Important Roller Skating Apparel

Roller skating is fun and exciting, just like you. Show off your style whenever you skate by matching some of your favourite colourful pieces. Just make sure the clothes you decide to wear are comfortable, such as shorts, leggings, sweatpants, etc. Avoid loose or long clothing that can get caught in your skates. Also, you need to wear tall socks that are thicker and match the height of your skate boots. That way, you won’t get blisters.

To sum up, learning how to roller skate is exciting and fun while also being dangerous at the same time. However, having roller skating protective gear can make the activity much safer and more enjoyable. You’ll even get a free workout without going to the gym. Remember, it’s not how many times you fall that counts, but how many times you get back up and do it better each time. Happy skating!